How to Become an Optician in Nevada

Do you live in Nevada and are looking to start a new career?

If that is so, you can check out below in order to learn more about the requirements.

Optician Job Description and Duties in Nevada

Opticians help their clients find the right eye-wear their needs and preferred style.

Some of the daily job responsibilities you will have include:

• Preparing eyewear
• Fitting and adjusting eyewear
• Educating customers about eyewear issues and maintenance
• Keeping sales records
• Determining insurance co-pays
• Keeping the inventory
• Interacting with the labs that make lenses

Optician Job Requirements in Nevada

In Nevada, you will have to get an apprentice license before you can start working.

You will have to be an apprentice for one year at least before you can move to the next stage in your career.

The exam opticians take in Nevada is the American Board of Opticians (ABO) exam.

You can choose an extra exam which is the National Contact Lens Examiner’s (NCLE) exam.

Licenses in Nevada are issued by the Nebraska Board of Optometry.

The documents you need to show are:

• A high school diploma or GED
• Graduating from a training program or having a formal education
  • An associate’s degree diploma is highly appreciated by employers
• Good interpersonal skills

Optician Education in Nevada

You will need to attend a training course in a post-secondary school in order to get a license.

In Nevada, the training program you can join is offered by the school below.

Those who enroll here can choose from more types of diplomas, including a certificate and an Associates’ degree.

The majority of the students are enrolled in programs that last for 4 years.

The duration of your course will depend on the type of diploma you want to obtain.

You also have the option to enroll in an online program or at a school from a different state.

To enroll in a program, you also need to show:

• A high school diploma or GED
• Completing specific classes with a minimum grade of C
• 2 letters of recommendation
• OAT scores – not older than 5 years
• Minimum GPA of 2.75

Programs usually last between 7 months and up to 4 years, if you want to get a degree.

You will join classes like:

• Introduction to Optometry
• Ocular Anatomy
• Systems 1: Neuroscience
• Ocular Microbiology
• Ophthalmic Imaging
• Public Health Optometry
• Glaucoma
• Physics

Optician Certification in Nevada

After you meet the education requirement, you will have to take and pass an exam.

You also have to fulfill one of the next requirements:

• A license in a reciprocal state
• At least 3 years of experience
• Can be an apprenticeship of 3 years in the past 6 years
• Can be from working as an optician in a state with no licensing requirements
• Graduate from an approved post-secondary optician program with a year of apprenticeship

Then, you will take the National Opticianry Competency Examination (NOCE) with the ABO.

This optician certification exam offers 3 levels of difficulty:

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

The subjects for the easiest level are:

• Reading prescriptions,
• Fitting and dispensing spectacles
• Using standard ophthalmic equipment

You will need to pay $200 for this test, but your employer will usually pay for it.

Students looking to dispense contact lenses will have to attend an extra exam, the National Contact Lens Examiners.

Another test you need to take is the Contact Lens Registry Examination (CLRE).

The Contact Lens Registry Examination (CLRE) also needs a $200 fee.

This fee doesn’t usually have to be paid by the student, as your employer will cover it.

The certification exam topics generally are:

• Pre-fitting for lenses,
• Diagnostic fitting,
• Dispensing of lenses,
• Patient education,
• Delivery
• Follow-up

Remember you have to send some documents.

These should prove:

• Age over 18
• A high school diploma or GED
• To fill out an application
• To pay some fees
• A clean criminal record
• Passing the State Practical Examination
• Proof of completed training, education, or at least 3 years of experience

Your optician license in Nevada has to be renewed after a period of one year.

When it expires, you have to renew it so that you can keep working.

You will also need to attend a certain number of education hours in order to get it renewed.

Optician Employment and Salary in Nevada

The entities hiring opticians in Nevada include:

• Stores
• Offices
• Optometry practices
• Hospitals
• Clinics

In Nevada, the median salary for an optician goes from $39,000 and $52,000 a year.

Regional Salary in Nevada

Additional Information for Opticians in Nevada

Check out the following career resources for job opportunities:

• American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE)
• Nevada Board of Dispensing Opticians
• Nevada Optometric Association
• American Optometric Association
• Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry
• Commission on Opticianry Accreditation
• National Optometric Association